Schools lauded

Published 12:02 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

HURON COUNTY  Five schools in this county have a very momentous feather to put in their caps as theyve been designated as academic outperformers by Standard & Poors.

Bad Axe Public Schools, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker Schools, Harbor Beach Community Schools, North Huron Schools and Ubly Community Schools all received the outperformer designation for the 2004-05 school year.

These schools are out of 43 Michigan school districts named as academic outperformers in a report from Standard & Poors School Evaluation Services this week. The report is Standard & Poors second risk-adjusted performance analysis of Michigan school districts. To be identified as an outperformer, school districts, over the course of two consecutive school years (2003-04 and 2004-05), had to report significantly higher percentages of students that scored proficient or above on state reading and math tests than other school districts with similar levels of economically-disadvantaged students. Schools also had to perform at a level that significantly exceeds statistical expectations.

Bad Axe, Lakers and Harbor Beach are in an even more elite group of outperformers. These schools have been outperformers for three school years (2002-03 to 2004-05), joining a group of just 30 Michigan schools.

Michigan has a total of 520 school districts.

Were very pleased to receive (this designation) for the third year, said Bad Axe Superintendent Jim Wencel. Im not surprised. We do a great job  all the Thumb schools do.

He said he credits the Bad Axe districts good curriculum, small class sizes, and our teachers, principals and aides who do great work for our students.

Id like to thank the students, parents and faculty, because it takes all three components to make this work, said Harbor Beach Superintendent Ron Kraft. Its an honor and its very humbling, but were not where we need to be yet because not all students are at the state level or above (with their reading and math MEAP scores).

Kraft said he congratulates the other four school districts that are academic outperformers in Huron County, along with the Huron Intermediate School District which assists school districts with student achievement every day.

Lets keep our eye on what the real prize is  100 percent proficiency with all of our students. None of us are there yet, and weve got a lot of work to do, Kraft said.

Its a great honor and an accomplishment, and its certainly a credit to our staff and support staff, said Laker Interim Superintendent Bob Drury. They all help set the climate for learning and they create a comfortable, caring environment. This includes everyone from bus drivers and custodians to secretaries, paraprofessionals, teachers and administrators. When you have this type of positive environment and you have students who are ready to learn because their parents believe in a good education, you have a leg up over districts who dont have this.

Its great to know the great work the teachers have been doing is paying off, said North Huron Superintendent Maryann Thompson. Its nice to be recognized for something good.

I think its terrific, said Ubly Superintendent Hal Hooks. Weve been working very hard to increase student achievement and we work to make sure every student learns at (his or her) optimal level. Were happy to get this recognition, and were going to continue working on our student achievement at all grade levels.

Standard & Poors developed outperformers analysis as a way to highlight outstanding academic performance, and to help educators in similar school districts identify appropriate benchmarks to guide their own improvements.

Standard & Poors conducted its analysis using state-reported data and determined academic performance by using the aggregate percentages of students scoring proficient or better on the states reading and math tests.

Specific school percentages of economically disadvantaged students and math and reading test proficiency for the 2004-05 school year were not available on the Standard & Poors School Matters website prior to deadline.